2018 Boston Celtics offseason

I don’t really love Brown but I like Thomas.

I love Bradley and saw those rumors but I’m not sure I want him back. I’m torn on it. He’s a bad switch defender and he can’t guard many 2s. But at MLE money and a clear bench role... You don’t get perfect players there and his shooting and cutting ability is real.

Brown had some offensive issues last year but his Freshman year was pretty promising. He's a great defender, rebounder and passer. I feel like Jim L didn't do a great job with him last year. I actually wanted him at 27 before Williams fell. I'd be interesting in grabbing him.

So question for people, playing the hypothetical here. Some are speculating the Celtics to Spurs trade could be something as simple as Kyrie and a first (non Sacramento or Memphis) for Leonard.

If that was the case we would have Brown, Tatum, Hayward and Leonard to play the 2-4 positions and it wouldn’t surprise me to see all 4 on the court with Horford and no true Point Guard since there is enough handle there to make it work. Obviously, Rozier then becomes the starting PG.

Is this squad better with Leonard versus Kyrie? Remember, we have Hayward common back (who’s really good but not Leonard great). I feel like ultimately the Celtics lost to the Cavs because they didn’t have a guy like Kyrie who could just create on his own and make something from nothing and just abuse a matchup. Are Hayward or Leonard guys who can do that? Will Tatum be that guy next year after showing more then just flashes of it this year? If so maybe that makes Kyrie moot and maybe this new 4 wing team could both work minutes wise and be devastating on the court.

The problem is, I think Kyrie resigns here and I don’t think Leonard necessarily does...

Aren't the Celtics going to use that mid level money to resign Baynes again?

I can see Danny offering that. Simply thinking Leonard is the better overall player. The thing I go back to is that better than the Lakers offer? Even on the low end I'm seeing Ingram, Wagner, Hart, Filler and a couple of first round picks. High end they include Kuzma also. Chances are Irving doesn't stay with Spurs. So is the chance they can convince him or what they can flip him for better than the Lakers offer? Maybe, but that seems unlikely.  That really seems like a I'll take him, but only on my terms offer. Not I really want him offer.

I'm sure you could see those 5 playing together, but that puts a ton of pressure on Hayward to act as a PG. As he seems like the only one in that group that can do that role. Nevermind the issues you could have on D, though thats not a huge issue.

Last years team was just young and inexperienced overall. Game 6 Rozier and Brown go off, game 7 Tatum and Horford. I think Hayward alone fixes those issues. He's such a massive upgrade over Morris. Gives you another scorer. Its like the Warriors, they have so much firepower that even when guys have an off night, the others can pick them up. So I don't think you need an Irving. I do have questions about his D and him killing our ball movement. You don't have those issues with Leonard.

At the sametime it makes the roster less than ideal. It also means you most likely have to keep both Rozier and Smart. Thus pushing payroll even higher. Keeping Irving long-term would allow you to move on if you really wanted do. I actually think Leonard would be more likely to resign. He seems like a guy that just wants to be respected, on a great team and be left alone. The LA rumors seem kinda crazy given the way he's been in his career. Irving is Uncle Drew and I can see him wanting the bigger markets to help him get more spotlight and earn more money. Irving is from the LeBron James school, while Leonard is from the Tim Duncan school.

Frankly I don't think we get Leonard, but if we do I can live with Irving and a non Kings/Grizz pick. That is actually a good deal if Leonard is truly healthy. His injury is also less of a worry long-term compared to Irving. My issues would start when you add more pieces like those pick. I don't see how you get him without one of those picks. Leonard is the perfect Celtic player, a true two way monster. So I get Danny going after him and not including Tatum and Brown is the smart play. The real question is do you include a great pick and if you do is that even enough? The Lakers are desperate, getting Leonard could mean also getting LeBron. Heck maybe even another star level player like Cousins. So I think they go crazy and Danny won't get into a bidding war, nor should he.

I had so many changes of heart when it comes to trading Irving for Leonard. On the bright side, it would be in the running for the best defensive team of all time especially when you consider the era we play. Hayward-Brown-Leonard-Tatum-Horford wouldn't get scored on by anyone, maybe quicker point guards but even then Stevens would scheme around that by putting a shadow on them. I think Hayward is a very good playmaker for his position, Horford is obviously awesome and Tatum displayed some passing knowledge. It could work, it's unorthodox as sh*t but it could work.

On the not so good side, it would be an extremely slow team so you could forget about fast break points. You'd have no penetration and pretty much no one-on-one offense. It would require a very different attacking strategy and being in the vanguard of stuff sounds really good, but do we really need to risk it? I think the Celtics need someone like Irving to win a championship, someone to just take it home when everything else breaks down. Kawhi is not that guy and while he is a better overall player than Kyrie, he just doesn't fit as nicely.

Right now I'm against that trade. You don't have to reinvent the wheel and even offensive genius D'Antoni is having a lot of success by relentlessly running straight PnR drive and kick game. But I've changed my mind A LOT so yeah, we'll see.

Baynes resigns two years 11 million. No other details, but that should mean we used his non-bird rights, leaving all our exceptions.

It looks like this is a 1 and 1 deal where Baybes has a player option. If he has another year like last maybe he opts out and they resign him to a bigger contract (short term).

Also, Phoenix and Dallas no longer have the Cap room to sign Marcus Smart.

Deals that highly confuse me, Ariza 1 year 15 million Suns, Ed Davis 1 year 4.4 million Nets and Doug McDermott 3 years 22 million Pacers.

Why at 33 years old would Ariza take that deal? The Rockets can't replace him and while maybe getting less this year, he most likely could have got a lot more guaranteed money. Nevermind the Suns have Booker, Warren, Jackson and Bridges playing SF and SG. I don't get it for both the player and team.

Ed Davis jumping at a 1 year 4.4 million deal with the Nets. Makes sense for Nets, should be a nice trade piece at deadline. Is the market really that bad that Davis can't get more than that?

Then maybe the most head scratching move of all, the Pacers giving Doug McDermott 3 years 22 million. He's never come close to posting a league average PER. His only skill is 3 point shooting, yet the rest of his game is so bad, that doesn't even play well. Theres a reason he's played for 4 teams in four years.

Happy to see Baynes back on a good deal for the Celtics.

LeBron & Leonard would make a formidable add in L.A. Throw in Cousins and they might be favorites to dethrone Warriors.

Actually I think LeBron is penciled in if either of the others sign with L.A. If neither do, I'd say Philly is the fallback. Simmons, Embiid and LeBron would be East favorites. Trading for Kawhi slams the door...